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Roasted black cod with pickled mushrooms, cherry tomatoes, xo sauce, and scallion

Yield: 4

Overview: Marinate the cod, pickle some mushrooms, cook the cod, and plate

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Ingredients

For the black cod

• 1 ½ lbs black cod, bones removed, cut into 8 pieces
• ¼ cup sake
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons mirin
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• pinch of chili flake

For the pickled mushrooms

• 7 ounces shimeji mushrooms, broken into small clusters (sub: sliced shiitakes)
• ¾ cup rice vinegar
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• ½ teaspoon sugar
• ¼ teaspoon chili flake
• 1 bay leaf
• neutral oil

To serve

• 1 cup xo sauce, store-bought or homemade (see tip)
• 8 ounces cherry tomatoes, halved
• 3 scallions, thinly sliced (see tip)
• white rice or crusty bread (optional)

Instructions

1. Marinate the black cod. In a small pot, combine all of the ingredients except for the fish. Simmer for 5 minutes and transfer to a shallow dish to cool. Once the marinade has cooled, add the cod pieces, gently rolling in the marinade to coat evenly. Store in the fridge for at least 10 minutes, or up to 1 day.
2. Pickle the mushrooms. In a large skillet, heat a thin layer of oil over medium-high heat. Season the mushrooms with salt and pepper and cook them for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. (Do this in two batches if your pan isn’t big enough. Don’t crowd the pan!) While the mushrooms cook, whisk together the remaining ingredients in a small bowl. When the mushrooms are browned and cooked through, add them to the bowl of pickling liquid. Stir to combine. Set aside for at least 10 minutes (so the flavors have time to blend), then taste for seasoning and adjust.
3. Roast the black cod. Set the broiler on high, and place the top rack 1 foot below. Arrange the fish on a sheet pan lined with aluminum foil. Broil for 5 minutes, rotate the tray, spoon a little extra marinade over the fish, and broil for another 2 minutes or so, until the cod reaches an internal temperature of 140°F.
4. Plate. Place a spoonful of the xo sauce on the plate, and top with the fish. Arrange the cherry tomatoes around the filets, and sprinkle with a little flakey salt. Spoon a few pickled mushrooms over the fish, along with a splash of pickling liquid. Finish with a scattering of scallions.

Tip

Originating in Hong Kong, XO is an umami-rich sauce made from dried shellfish, ham, garlic, and chilis. Pick some up at your local Asian grocery store, or make our vegan mushroom version.

To make curly scallions, slice your scallions thinly on a very steep bias (almost lengthwise). Submerge the scallions in ice water for 5 minutes, watch them curl up, then drain.

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EXTRA RECIPES

Try our vegan mushroom riff on the incredibly delicious Cantonese XO sauce.

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